Curly's Capers

Today ( 25/5)  I visited the annual cheese roll at Coopers Hill in Gloucestershire .  This ancient event  , comprises five races in which people propel themselves  down the near vertical slope chasing after a rolling cheese. The first person to cross the line at the bottom , in each race is deemed to be the winner and for everyone else it's a case of hard cheese !  With  the help from family and friend , I managed to make a circumnavigation of the course perimeter . This included a lung-busting ( well I am old !) climb up the hill (  one in three, in places) and  a virtual slide clinging to beech trees  and  hanging on  with gratitude to any passing sapling  I happened to meet on my way down . It was very enjoyable and it is rare indeed , that as a mere spectator , I also felt that I had been at the races.  I am  off , just now to make myself a cheese toastie after all that exercise. Ciao4now Ck.

Yesterday  (24/5) I went to see the West Indies play England in a one day international at Bristol. It was a  cloudless , windless , perfect day for cricket. Unfortunately the ' windies'  seemed not to be in the mood for this occasion ; they were as lack-lustre as the Mexican wave , which hardly caused a ripple around the ground , however much individual members of the audience , tried to whip up the crowd. The windies also seemed becalmed and yielded their wickets , without much trouble to some accurate English  bowling ; so much so that England won with twenty five overs to spare. Health and Safety does not permit any musical instruments to be brought into the ground , so the only live music came from a " credit crunch " steel band who  had to  provide the carnival atmosphere. Other excitements including the removing of an offensive instrument ; namely a plastic palm tree and the sight of a West Indian Batsman walking back to the pavilion , having just tamely lost h...

Over the wall you can see the ruined priory , destroyed originally by the Vikings. May Walk Walking the way of the pilgrim in " Inis Metcaud" * , through asphalt and grass , viewing dead crabs thrown from the Causeway marking the path ahead. Entering the grasses , which spring and wrap feet in tendrils of burrs and spikes , swaying constantly to remove direction. Processing along the sandy beach ; leaving heel and toe memories behind in a wasteland bearing remains of human detritus at the margins. Upon the verdant meadows , feeling the keening air bringing a lashing cold wind, spilling forth mucus until all the world seems , nought but a watery potage. Wind-kissed walking the boundary twixt sea and land on a moving pebble dash at one with elemental forces , in tune with the pulse of time. Ck. 15/05/'09. * " Island of Strong Winds " from David Adam's " Flame In My Heart " - the life of St Aidan.

This shot was taken from the cliff top , looking over the bay , towards Lindisfarne Castle.                                    Beyond the final glide path Silence on the island is like the visceral feel of velvet on the skin. It pulls down on the sheep, who stand in static posture looking seaward  to espy seal arrivals ; Whilst upon Hobthrush Isle the spirit of Cuthbert draws back the veil allowing the ebb and flow of serenity in a wave-less tidal calm. Time pulses and emerges in a coda of screaming jets rising above this languid landscape in a return journey to the forward march of life. Ck '03/'09.

Hi  I have just got back from the lovely island of Lindisfarne ; midway between Newcastle and Edinburgh. the weather was ' canny ' and the photo- opportunities were outstanding. To whet your appetite , here is an evening shot of the nearby " St. Cuthberts Isle ". Ck.

Greetings this beautiful May morning.  I have been walking in the woods and waking up the trees as is traditionally done on the first of May. What a brilliant world we live in , to have the capabilities to write these words and put up photos for all to see; kinda makes you humble does it not ? Ciao4now Ck. NP  " Sleepwalk " by Santo and Johnny - going back to my 50s roots here ; I love the Hawaiian or  Steel Guitar  and unless my ears deceive me , I think this was played in the most recent episode of "Heroes"